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Congress attacks government on recommendation of RSS men for history panel

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“Three RSS men on the ICHR. Hope India’s new history book does not stretch back to when Brahmin Sadhus had pet dinosaurs,” party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said on Twitter. Photo: M. Srinath

“Three RSS men on the ICHR. Hope India’s new history book does not stretch back to when Brahmin Sadhus had pet dinosaurs,” party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said on Twitter. Photo: M. Srinath

New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday took a dig at the NDA government over reports that ICHR chief Sudershan Rao has recommended three historians with RSS background for its next panel saying he hopes that history books in future will not say that “Brahmin Sadhus had pet dinosaurs”.

“Three RSS men on the ICHR. Hope India’s new history book does not stretch back to when Brahmin Sadhus had pet dinosaurs,” party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said on Twitter. Reports had it that with the term of Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR) current panel ending on December 22 last year, Rao has recommended among 18 panelists, three historians who are office bearers of RSS’s Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana (ABISY).

These ABISY historians are Narayan Rao, national vice president of the Sangh history wing, Ishwar Sharan Vishwakarma, all-India general secretary, and Nikhilesh Guha, head of the Bengal chapter, the report said. The HRD ministry is the final clearance authority for ICHR appointments. The recommendations of the ICHR are with the ministry, the report had said.

In his other tweets also, Singhvi had taken potshots at the government.

“BJP sent a show cause notice to Sakshi Maharaj but he won’t respond till 3 more are sent. Meanwhile he is itching to make 3 more statements,” Singhvi said reacting to the notice sent to the BJP MP by his party President Amit Shah. He also took a dig at Swachch Bharat Campaign of the government.

“Wl modiji propose Obama as an ambassador for swach Bharat. That Wl certainly not clean Bharat bt generate much desired adequate publicity,” he said.

(PTI)

Seven die of swine flu in Rajasthan, 19 test positive

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Representational Image. Photo: REUTERS/Arko Datta

Representational Image. Photo: REUTERS/Arko Datta

Jaipur: Seven people have died and 19 tested positive for swine flu in Rajasthan this year, forcing the state government to put its health department on alert, an official said Wednesday.

The deaths have been reported from Banswara, Barmer, Tonk, Kota and Jaipur areas, while the positive cases have been reported from Jaipur, Sikar, Tonk, Kota among other districts, an official told IANS.

“We have decided to do a survey of at least 50 houses near the house where a positive case of swine flu has been reported,” a senior medical department official said.

“We are requesting all the patients suffering from cold, fever, cough or running nose to come to hospital for a check-up. We do not want to take any chances,” he added.

The official said that after the sudden spurt in swine flu cases since the beginning of this year, the state health department has been geared to face any eventuality.

Health Minister Rajendra Rathore has directed all district hospitals to collect samples of suspected swine flu patients and send them to government-run medical colleges for tests.

Health officials have also been asked to keep stock of medicines used for the treatment of H1N1 influenza.

(IANS)

Congress launches 'Bharatiya Hindu Parishad' to counter VHP

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BHARATIYA HINDU PARISHAD

Puttur: Under the leadership of Congress leaders, a pro Hindu outfit, ‘Bharatiya Hindu Parishad’ was inaugurated here on Wednesday January 14, even as debate in favour of and against creating such an organization rages on within the party. It is said that similar initiatives are being undertaken at various cities and towns by the party, reportedly at the behest of All India Congress Committee vice president, Rahul Gandhi, who has realized that his party has been facing a reversal of fortunes because of losing patronage of Hindus.

The said organization has been created under the leadership of block Congress president, A Hemanath Shetty. During the open debate on the desirability of giving birth to an outfit exclusively to cater to Hindu vote bank, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dr G Parameshwar, and former union minister, B Janardhana Poojary, had stoutly opposed the move, as they feel that it is opposed to the secular principles to which the party is committed. Udupi district in-charge minister, Vinay Kumar Sorake, also clarified when questioned by press persons in Udupi on Wednesday that his party does not need such organizations, as it protects interests of people from all the religions.

Bharatiya Hindu Parishad, which took birth on Wednesday, has pledged support to the construction of the temple dedicated to Rama at Ayodhya, and is opposed to religious conversions. It wants to undertake study about why religious conversions take place.

Tamil writer Perumal Murugan announces himself 'dead' after being forced to withdraw novel

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One Part Woman, the English translation of Perumal Murugan's Madorubhagan, translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, Penguin Books. Photo Credit: Kalachavadu

One Part Woman, the English translation of Perumal Murugan’s Madorubhagan, translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, Penguin Books. Photo Credit: Kalachavadu

New Delhi: Tamil writer Perumal Murugan recently took to social media to announce his ‘death’. He said that the writer part of him has died and only the teacher in him will live on.

On his Facebook page the much loved author wrote:

Perumal Murugan, the writer is dead. He is not God, so he is not going to resurrect. He does not believe in reincarnation either.

Various organisations, caste outfits in his home town Thiruchengodu, around 410 km from here, protested against his novel ‘Madorubhagan’, whose story revolves around the problems faced by a childless peasant couple and the woman’s attempt to get pregnant following a tradition of consensual sex with a stranger. He was forced to withdraw the book and unconditionally apologise for it.

The author posted about his right to freedom of expression and said in the Facebook post that he now wants to withdraw all his previous books and compensate the publishers for their loss.

In his post he thanked his friends, students and publishers for standing by him so far. But, he has urged that he should not be invited to any literary event from now on.

Many imminent personalities have criticised the Tamil Nadu government for failing to protect the ‘Freedom of Expression’ of the author.

Murugan is a Tamil professor at the Government Arts College in Namakkal and written four novels, three collections of short stories and three anthologies of poetry.

(Agencies)

SC sets aside order staying Salman Khan's conviction in blackbuck case

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Salman Khan

New Delhi: In a setback to filmstar Salman Khan, Supreme Court Wednesday set aside the Rajasthan High Court order staying his conviction in the blackbuck hunting case.

An apex court bench headed by Justice S.J. Mukhopadhyay remanded the matter back to the high court for fresh consideration.

Pronouncing the verdict, Justice Mukhopadhyay said the filmstar could tell the court that he would suffer irreversible damage if his conviction is not stayed and he is eventually acquitted.

The court said that the Rajasthan government at the same time could argue that no irreversible damage which cannot be undone would be caused if his conviction is not stayed.

The Rajasthan High Court had stayed Salman’s conviction on his plea that it was coming in his way to get visa to travel to England.

Salman’s sentence has already been stayed by the high court.

Union Minister Naqvi sentenced to one year imprisonment

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Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, along with 19 others, was convicted by a Rampur Court for breaching prohibitory orders during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

Naqvi, who is currently in the Court custody was later granted bail in a case of poll code violation.

Mr Naqvi’s convoy was stopped by the police for checking but his supporters reportedly protested outside a police station. Mr Naqvi reportedly addressed the protesting workers and was among 200 people booked at the time. 23 people were named in the case of which 19 including Naqvi have been found guilty.

The BJP has described the one-year jail sentence as “overreaction” to a peaceful protest.

They were charged for unlawful assembly under sections of the IPC and Criminal Law Amendment Act.

New study outlines how Americans see Sikhism

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A Sikh boy marches in the annual Sikh Day Parade in New York, April 27, 2013. CREDIT: REUTERS/KEITH BEDFORD/FILES

A Sikh boy marches in the annual Sikh Day Parade in New York, April 27, 2013. CREDIT: REUTERS/KEITH BEDFORD/FILES

by Arun Kumar

Washington: A new comprehensive study of Sikhs in America, outlining how Americans perceive Sikhism and what the community needs to convey to effectively build positive awareness in America, is set to be released later this month.

The study giving facts, images, and stories of Sikhs in America, was conducted by noted pollster Geoff Garin, president of Peter D. Hart Research, who was the chief strategic advisor to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.

It will be published by the National Sikh Campaign (NSC) launched earlier this year to help promote the Sikh image in America.

NSC hopes to use this data to shape the Sikh community’s communication strategy going forward, according to a media release.

“This study will help our community because we now know what we need to be communicating and whom we need to be communicating with to build awareness a” which is critical for a brighter, violence-free future in America said Gurwin Singh Ahuja, co-founder and executive director of NSC.

“This future hinges on our ability to effectively tell our fellow citizens that our values are their values, that Sikh values are American values,a¿ he said.

The report outlines how Sikh Americans are currently viewed by their fellow Americans at large, the key targeted messages Sikhs need to communicate to the broader public to build maximum understanding of their faith and their identity, and the specific communities the Sikh community needs to communicate with to build relationships.

This thorough study is the result of a political style national polling methodology, including focus groups, according to Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education (SCORE) and senior advisor to NSC.

The report will pave the way for NSC to begin larger advertisement and media collaborations with highly-regarded political consulting firm, AKPD a” founded by David Axelrod, one of President Barack Obama’s main campaign strategists, the release said.

Since its launch, NSC has been networking with business leaders and Gurdwaras around the country to engage them to join this unprecedented campaign for Sikhs in America.

(IANS)

River inter-linking to continue despite opposition, says Venkaiah Naidu

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River linking

New Delhi: Notwithstanding concerns raised by environmentalists, the Union government on Tuesday said it will take up inter-linking of rivers on a priority basis “come what may” and that any “obstacles” which may come in the way would be addressed or removed.

“Some of our environmentalist friends are raising voices. There will be voices in democracy, let there be. But, they have answers also … We have to take up river linking on a priority basis come what may,” Union urban development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said at a function to mark ‘India Water Week’ here.

“Whatever obstacles come, that has be addressed and they have to be removed,” he added.

Environmentalists have raised concerns over inter-linking of rivers, claiming that it would threaten the ac-aquatic life and has no hydrological and ecological soundness.

Mr. Naidu said developed countries are “giving us lessons and sermons” and added, “We have to first develop, then we can give lessons to others.”

Over 30 bodies found in canal in Uttar Pradesh

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30-bodies-found-in-canal-in-Uttar-Pradesh

Lucknow: Over 30 unclaimed and rotten bodies were found floating Tuesday in a canal in Unnao, 60 km from Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow, according to news reports.

Officials, soon after the discovery of the bodies noticed by the locals, rushed to the Paeriyar Ghat where people go to consign mortal remains to flames. Police said these bodies were of people whose families did not have enough money to give them a decent cremation.

Inspector General of Police (Kanpur) Ashutosh Pandey said due to lack of money, the bodies were either dumped by families in the shallow waters of the Ganga or left buried under sand in the encastchment area.

These, he added, would float after being eaten up by river animals and fishes. Some bodies were half burnt and half eaten up, officials informed.

Inspector General (Law and Order) A. Satish Ganesh informed that police were looking into all possible angles.

Saumya Agarwal, district magistrate of Unnao, has since ordered the cremation of all the bodies.

Initially it was rumoured that the bodies were of victims those who were killed in Unnao’s hooch tragedy Monday.

Laxmikant Bajpayi, BJP state president, also reached the scene after news of bodies being recovered reached to him.

He spoke to senior government officials and asked them not to use machines to lift the bodies, instead he advised to get autopsies conducted and give them a decent creamation Wednesday.

(Agencies)

Idukki India's first district connected with optical fibre project

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idukki-broadband

Thiruvananthapuram: Idukki district in the state has become the first in India to be connected with high-speed rural broadband network.

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Monday commissioned the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) at Idukki.

NOFN would open up new avenues for telecom service providers, Internet service providers and cable TV operators, content providers to launch next generation services and spur creation of local employment opportunities in a big way.

Currently, the district has 8 block offices and 53 gram panchayats. Of these 8 block offices and 52 gram panchayats have been connected on optical fibre and one gram panchayat, namely Edamalakudy, is connected through VSAT, an official statement said.

Edamalakudy, is a tribal gram panchayat consisting of 26 tribal villages with a population of around 2,200. It is remotely located, around 18 km from Pettimudi which is the last point one can go to using a vehicle.

“BSNL has made exceptional efforts in connecting this gram panchayat and now broadband Internet as well as mobile services are available over here. For the first time the villages under this panchayat would be connected through mobile phones and Internet,” it added.

NOFN aims to provide high-speed broadband connectivity to 2.5 lakh gram panchayats by December 2016 and the estimated cost of the project is around Rs 30,000 crore.

The government has set a target of rolling out optical fibre network across 50,000 village panchayat by the end of this financial year, 1 lakh by March 2016 and another 1 lakh by end of 2016.

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